By C1 Staff
CONCORD, Mass. — After 19 years on the job, Lt. Michael Donahue is well-deserving of the accolade for ‘MCI-Concord Employee of the Year.’
The Lowell Sun reports that Donahue was honored with a banquet dinner, a special parking space for a year and also made both his wife and sons proud of his accomplishments.
In an interview with the Sun, Donahue said that Hollywood has it all wrong about corrections officers.
“We have radios, handcuffs and that’s it. You use your words,” he said. “The public doesn’t really have any idea what goes on in prison, and the majority would rather not know.
“Whatever goes on in here, as long as it stays behind these walls, they’re happy.”
Donahue was credited with the resolution of a gang fight in the prison’s chow hall recently, one of the many reasons why he was named ‘Employee of the Year.’
“I can’t take credit for resolving the whole incident,” he said. “Every man and woman that was there did an excellent job. That’s why, getting this award – it’s not just one person that does this job. When things happen, everybody works as a team.”
He said he never imagined he’d end up as a corrections officer when he was a little boy, but says that corrections officers are due just as much credit as a police officer or a fireman for keeping inmates behind bars.
And his advice to other officers?
“You’ve got to be fair, firm. Personality integrity is a big thing. Be responsible for your own actions. You come to work, do what’s expected of you, and you can be an all-star here.”
For the full interview, click here.